Hooks to Hits: The Key to Writing Songs That Sell

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The main ingredient that distinguishes a perfectly respectable "album cut" from a hit song is the presence of a killer hook. But if hooks like that were so easy to create, we'd all be millionaires! How can you enhance the impact of your songs' hooks to appeal to both audiences and the People Behind Desks? Read on!

To make this article more useful, gather up your 3 strongest or most recent titles, hooks or choruses, so that you can apply what we're discussing to the "real world" of your material.

Tap Into Your Personal Experiences For "Nuggets of Truth"

It's my firm belief that the old adage, "write what you know" is applicable to songwriting as well as prose. Although some of us prefer to believe we can write about anyone and anything, our most meaningful and successful songs usually spring from "real life" experiences, and our responses to, and interpretations of, those experiences. Each day we spend on the planet, observed through the prism of songwriting, offers innumerable creative possibilities. The seeds of brilliant songs often lie just beneath the surface, but the writer must be willing to nurture their growth.

Let's say you're starting with a blank slate: germ of an idea brewing, recording device turned on, and instrument, voice or blank page ready and waiting. How do you go about extracting the proverbial Killer Hook from your precious "nuggets of truth":

o First, ask: what is true, real, intensely felt RIGHT NOW in your life? Be attentive to those flickers of realization, your "aha! moments."

o What experiences do you have a burning yearning to share?

o What contribution do you want to make to the world?

o What makes your angle on life unique, compelling, interesting?

o In the movie "Walk The Line," Sam Phillips asks Johnny Cash what song he'd sing if he was dying in a ditch on the side of the road and only had 3 minutes left. What hook would you sing in that situation?

o How can you arrange words and/or musical notes to get your "soul" down in song?

o Get crazy, be bold, bare your deepest truth or your silliest notion.

o Your job as a songwriter is to express what others can't express. Go overboard!

Now take a few minutes and blurt out what comes up for you. Really dig in there and fearlessly sing, write or play something, anything, as long as it rings true. This is a great exercise to try any time you have 10 minutes to spare.

Next, start to put that spark of inspiration into song form. Stay connected with the essence of your personal experience as you begin to experiment with lyrics and music.

Ways to Enhance the Impact of Your Song's Hook(s)

In the Verse/Chorus song form -- the most common form these days -- the chorus, and especially the hook, is where you "deliver the goods." It's the equivalent to the summation to the jury, the punch line of the joke, the revelation on the mountaintop. Every verse, every pre-chorus, every bridge, every line and every note leads up to this ultimate payoff. A great hook (and chorus) is packed full of meaning, fun, passionate intensity... or all three! It can't be overemphasized that your hook has to really Rock Their World. But first, it has to rock YOURS. It has to ring true to you.

o Boil your Big Idea down into the smallest possible expression of its essence: your hook.

o Stay simple-yet-elegant. Less is usually more.

o Don't pussyfoot around. Be bold and risky. Always take a strong point of view!

o A great line bears repetition. If it's worth saying, it's usually worth saying again.

o Make your song move rhythmically. People want to be SWAYED in more than one way by your song.

o Think of it this way: your hook is the hub of the wheel, and the other song elements are the spokes.

o Marry your melody to your lyric so that each intensifies and deepens the other.

o If you are thrilled by your hook, "they" probably will be too. And if you're holding back, they probably will too!

o Show off your "money" note, your slammin'-est groove, your cleverest line, your most unusual concept in your hook. Aim for the bleachers, emotionally and creatively.

Give Your Hooks Mass Appeal

Singles are distinguished from album cuts by their catchiness, accessibility and freshness. And the hook is the key to that mass appeal. Most listeners and People Behind Desks couldn't sing all of a song's verses back to you if they tried. But most CAN remember a killer hook or chorus. For those of you who are driven by thoughts of financial gain, singles are also where the money is. (But remember: selling doesn't mean selling out!) When you get to your main hook, hit us with fresh language, chords and melodic movement to wake us up physically, emotionally and spiritually. The might mean:

o An impassioned title or lyrical line: a twist of phrase, an unforgettable image, or an emotional outpouring that rings true

o A peak moment for the vocalist. This could be a high note, a long note, a rhythmically cool pulse or movement, a fresh interval, a repeated pattern or melodic sequence, etc.

o A catchy-as-hell instrumental riff or chordal pattern

o An underlying rhythm or groove that sweeps up all in its path

o Enough repetition to be catchy without becoming boring

o A striking contrast to whatever comes before and after (verses, pre-choruses, bridge), so that your hook stands out in an obvious way

Remember, more Hooks-Per-Square-Inch is better! In this day and age of sensory overload, listeners thrive on intense songs that cut through the clutter. We WANT to be moved on all levels. We're hungry for depth, for truth, for emotion, for humor. Strive to discover the universal within the personal, the specifics of real life. Make your song paint a picture or create an environment people can live in.

By following these guidelines, and learning from songs that are hits in your chosen genres, you can make your songs more accessible, satisfying and commercially viable.

Happy songwriting!

Copyright 2006 Alex Forbes

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Writing Music Or Writing Lyrics - Which Comes First?

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What's the best way to begin writing a new song? Do you start writing music first, or do you start with lyrics?

What's The Right Approach?

I don't think there is one "right" way to go about writing a song. There are tons of hit songs that are written one way, and just as many that are written the other. It all comes down to what works for you. I've written many songs using each approach. I think I write better lyrics when I write them first, but a more interesting melody when I start with that. I'm still working on perfecting my craft. Having said that, I believe the melody is the most important part of the song. It's the melody that grabs us in the first place. If we have a great melody, the listener will stick around long enough to listen to the words. Of course, at that point we had better have some great lyrics to keep their interest.

Writing From Emotion

When writing a song, whichever approach I choose I always write from emotion. Let me explain: If I've written some lyrics which I feel are good, I notice the emotions I feel when reading through them. I use this as a starting point. It tells me what the overall feel of the melody should be. When writing melody first I notice the emotions I feel when listening to the music. Then I use this to tell me what the song might be about.

Putting It All Together

Whichever way you approach it, you have to fit what you're writing with what you've already written. The lyrics you've written will dictate the rhythm and flow of the melody, and vice-versa. But remember that nothing needs to be carved in stone. Always be open to changing and tweaking lines of words or melody to make them fit together nicely. Sometimes I like five lines of lyrics in the second verse, when there are only four in the first verse. So when writing music I will accommodate that with an extra line of melody.

Which Way Is Best For You?

I enjoy using either approach when writing a song. I guess it helps to keep it fresh for me. If you always write one way, try it the other way. I think you'll be pleasantly surprised by the results.

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Writing a Hit Song

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Writing a hit song is an art form. Since listening to music is something that people commonly do, it is often so simple to come up with lyrics and melodies. But the real challenge is how to compose a song that thousands or millions of fans will surely enjoy.

Here are a few helpful tips for writing a hit song:

In theory, a song is merely made up of melody and words. So according to this principle anyone who knows a language and is capable of humming a tune can compose a song. Creativity and talent are of course very important elements but the fact is that anyone who listens to music regularly is already experienced. However before you begin writing down lyrics, you have to take note of a few fundamentals first.

Making a Story

When writing a hit song song, keep in mind that it a song is a form of literature and every form of literature should contain a story. What's important when composing a song is making sure that it will be something that people can relate to and can bring about an emotion from them. The audience should feel part of the song. It's not enough to simply tell them a story. It is more effective to leave them with some kind of question.

Just like a story, a hit song has three parts - beginning, middle and end. After completing the writing process, it is suitable to divide the song into its three components. Always take note that hit songs are not just written once, they have been repeatedly re - written.

Format

When you are concerned about what proper format to follow and how many verses will be appropriate for your song, you can easily get ideas from those who have experience writing a hit song. Try reviewing their songs and study the format. You will probably notice that there are only a small number of formats which are popularly used by songwriters and they only vary slightly. However even with this slight variation, they can significantly alter the feel of the entire song.

Writing a hit song is not an easy task but by hiring a professional songwriter to do it for you, you can easily come up with good lyrics. Moreover, you will be guaranteed with confidentiality and you can freely have the good lyrics credited to your name.

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Writing Hit Songs

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There are a lot of factors to writing a hit song. First, you should focus on writing a good song. Once you've done that, you are not far away from writing a hit.

Like most other things in life, it takes persistence, patience, drive, knowledge, belief and maybe some luck.

Stop and think about your favorite songs. Really analyze them and figure out what it is that you like about those songs.

Different factors may come to play here. Maybe it is the good beat, lyrics that hit home, a beautiful melody, something spiritual or patriotic, or maybe even that it is humorous.

If you include one of these elements in your songwriting you are well on your way. If you combine two or more of these elements, you may have yourself a hit.

A Good Beat

Rhythm is important in music. I have to laugh and think of Jerry Van Dyke on "The Dick Van Dyke Show" years ago trying to play the banjo and sing, "I've got rhy-rhy-thm, I've got mah-mah-music..."

But, unless you are very funny like Jerry Van Dyke, your audience is not very likely to stay with you.

Your music not only needs to have a good beat, but must fit the genre of music you are trying to write. A Metallica beat in a George Strait type song may not get you very far. A song with a good enough beat might be a hit even with no melody and no lyrics. Remember "Green Onions?"

Along with the beat is the tempo. Country music is easy to write (I did not say it is easy to write well) because it is about people's lives and everyday experiences. However, too often people write slow songs for country music, when in fact the industry is starving for upbeat country material like "Country Roads" and "Rocky Top." It is much harder to write a good up-tempo country song than it is a tear jerker.

Lyrics in popular music can range from broken relationships to political issues, and just about any point in between. Those that tend to be the most popular are about situations you and I may encounter in our everyday lives; "Workin' 9 To 5," "I Just Called To Say I Love You," "Your Cheatin' Heart," "God Bless The USA" (which ingeniously incorporates spiritual, political and patriotic views).

A beautiful or interesting melody can get you into the ranks of hit songwriter with no lyrics required. Going back in time to prove a point about beautiful melodies, you might consider songs like "Last Date" and "Sleepwalk."

Songs with great melody lines are very easy to be found in many hit TV show themes like "Peter Gunn," "Hawaii 5-0," along with many of the 60's surfer songs like "Wipe Out."

Well done humorous songs usually find an audience, such as Ray Stevens "The Streak," and Jerry Reeds "She Got The Goldmine, I Got The Shaft." If you have a knack for both humor and music, you might make a fortune.

Spiritual and patriotic songs, if they are well done and come out at the right time, are easy hits. Every time the U.S. gets involved in any type of world conflict, the songwriters get their pens out.

Keep your ears and eyes open, and keep a shoe box to put your ideas for songs in. Every time you think of an idea for a song or a song title, write it down and drop it in the box. It could be your first, or your next, big hit.

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Hit Song Writing in six easy steps

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Hit Song Writing in pop music increasingly easy to predict even by industry professionals in music and music lovers. Not too long ago, in pop music, there are a variety of musical tastes of the majors, and could not put the finger on which Schlager Would Certainly Be One.

But the majors have recently had for more than the "solution safe bet", a handsome singer or band with little musical substance, it can beMass market, and consumers attach throat! Consequently, pop music has become so watered down and poor is much easier to put something original graphics with the power of music to the rule!

Top 40 pop songs these days usually have large hook, but poorly written texts in verse, making the most of them more than "here today, gone tomorrow shots." This is not a good practice for authors which will be for the long haul, because oncethese songs take their own course, most are rarely played again, and that amounts to less profit for the songwriter's life song!

Pop Hit Songwriting in those days as a rule of no more than a good joke with the pasted text to it in verse, with very little attention, and very singable choruses to hook the listener. Mix in a well known rapper on Some of these songs, and voila, a hit, if you are not producing music or simply ago, there are manyawesome beat makers out there ready, set, or sell their lines at a relatively moderate price.

Here is how to write a market success in pop music today:

Focus first before singing the song and what style is, whether the pop, R & B, Rock, etc. Decide what you want your song and select a song (no need to reinvent the wheel), ie, "I Need You "(self explanatory)" Whatever "(a song about - is not goingYour opinion about something), "Far Away" (a song about - I wish you were here with me), hit songs, etc. Songs written in these days tend to use closer say 1-3 words in the title " Disturbia, "". "

According Create or purchase a impressive beat to the song when R & B, Pop or more types, and if a song is waiting with a much more "alive" until the next step (3) before proceeding.

Create a strong third original lyrical hooks that you get out of my head, afterhearing, has a couple of times. If you do not come with this, it is likely that you have a success. Once you have a strong hook to proceed (4).

Write decent fourth verse. If you really want to stay outside, take the time, some verses awesome job!

Fifth sure that your hand has no empty spaces inside. Even if you play guitar or piano to create fills and riffs to the song title. pop songs of today have no gaps. The music is intense and "inYour face "than ever.

Sixth If you think that your song has the potential to hit one, try the songs or songs to your friends and family, the pop-radio sound. Their reaction is usually right!